czar

noun

ˈzär  ˈ(t)sär 

variants or less commonly tsar or tzar

1

: emperor

specifically : the ruler of Russia until the 1917 revolution

2

: one having great power or authority

a banking czar

czardom noun

or less commonly tsardom or tzardom

ˈzär-dəm 

ˈ(t)sär-

Synonyms

• baron
• captain
• king
• lion
• lord
• magnate
• mogul
• monarch
• Napoleon
• prince
• tycoon

Examples of czar in a Sentence

a showbiz czar who is said to be able to make or break a career

Recent Examples on the Web

After Harris was appointed border czar in March 2021, Abbott urged her to visit the border. —Bethany Blankley | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Aug. 2024

He’s also called out Harris as Biden’s border czar for refusing to go to the border, even at the height of the border crisis. —Bethany Blankley | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Aug. 2024

Senator Graham called Vice President Harris the border czar. —CBS News, 28 July 2024

Both worked closely with Mitch Landrieu, Biden's former transportation czar, and former Rep. Cedric Richmond, who was Biden's first director of public engagement. —Hans Nichols, Axios, 1 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin czar, from Russian tsar', from Old Russian tsĭsarĭ, from Goth kaisar, from Greek or Latin; Greek, from Latin Caesar — more at caesar

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

czar

noun

variants also tsar or tzar

ˈzär

1

: the ruler of Russia until the 1917 revolution

2

: one having great power or authority

a baseball czar

czardom noun

also tsardom or tzardom

ˈzärd-əm

Etymology

Latin czar "czar," from Russian tsar' (same meaning), from early Russian tsǐsarǐ, tsěsarǐ "emperor," from a Germanic word kaisar "emperor," derived from Latin Caesar (title of a line of Roman emperors after Augustus Caesar) see Word History at emperor